1. Network everywhere!

Talking to new people every chance you get is an opportunity to learn something new and connect to another group of people. Everyone you don’t know has a circle of people that you don’t know. Don’t just get a card and give a card – networking is really about solidifying mutually beneficial relationships.

2. Be passionate!

Don’t just settle for a job just for the money. Be it school loans or bills, all that financial responsibility is not going anywhere. Make sure you love what you do so that it’ll feel like you never work a day in your life. Happiness will always produce money; the reverse is not so true.

3. Take risks! If this economy has shown you anything, it’s that not taking risks is risky. “If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve got.” When you take risks and step outside of your comfort zone, you learn about yourself – your strengths, your weaknesses, and so much more. Take a risk and you’ll either succeed or have found another way that doesn’t work.

Source: An active group of recent NJIT graduates from various professional backgrounds, with years of collective good (and some bad) networking experiences. Also known as the “NJIT Young Alumni Club” (YAC). E-mail us at [email protected], visit us at http://www.njit.edu/alumni/clubs/youngalumni/index.php or check out our Facebook group: “Young Alumni Club”

Chike Uzoka ’06, Kess-Ann Grant ’09, Vatsal Shah ’08 ’09